Two ISIS-linked women charged with slavery after return to Australia

Australian Federal Police have charged two women with slavery-related offenses following their return to the country after spending over seven years in a Syrian refugee camp.  The women, aged 53 and 31, were arrested at Melbourne Airport on Thursday and face crimes against humanity charges, specifically for allegedly owning and using a slave during their time in Syria. According to police statements, both women traveled to Syria in 2014 and allegedly kept a female slave within their homes. These charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism Stephen Nutt described the situation as an "active investigation into very serious allegations." In a separate but related development, a 32-year-old woman was arrested at Sydney Airport on Thursday. She faces terror-related charges for allegedly joining Islamic State in 2015 to be with her husband. Her charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years. The return of these women and nine childrenwho reportedly traveled back without official government assistance, has sparked political debate in Australia.While critics argue the government should have prevented their re-entry, officials noted there are "very serious limits" to what can be done to stop citizens from returning home.This arrival follows a broader trend of repatriations and independent returns of families linked to the extremist group since its territorial defeat. Currently, about 21 Australians are estimated to remain in the al-Roj camp in Syria, as international efforts to manage the thousands of foreign nationals held in the region continue to face logistical and security hurdles. The post Two ISIS-linked women charged with slavery after return to Australia appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.